The End of the Marathon

The Cubs finished the season the way they started it….with a win, unfortunately somewhere in between they lost 96 games. To say this season was a disappointment would be a huge understatement. In the middle of writing this recap came the news of Andy MacPhail resigning as the President of the Chicago Cubs. While change is always good, the Faithful must keep in mind that this organization has but one way to go and that is up. This off-season will be filled with many changes, some that will be popular and some that will not be but the one constant will be the CCO reporting on every move, every reliable rumor and all of the news that makes the baseball off-season like no other in all of professional sports.

The Cubs pulled out the last game of the series and season in comeback fashion. After dropping the first 2 games it looked like early on that the Cubs would go limping into the off-season after being swept at home for the last time in 2006. Wade Miller did not have a good end to the season but the bullpen was very impressive and gave the Cubs offense plenty of time for the comeback. Aramis Ramirez and Juan Pierre both had a big afternoon in what could have been their last game in Cubbie Blue. Ramirez hit a 2-run home run in the 4th (38) to put the Cubs on the board and Juan Pierre drove in the go-ahead run in the 7th.

The Cubs won the game and that is the bottom line but the recaps here are usually kept to just reporting what happened and I keep my feelings and opinions out of as much of them as I can, well not today. This season, as difficult and as bad as it has been, has been great to cover on a daily basis for this site. I have enjoyed the interaction with so many of you and that has made an unbearable season a little easier to deal with. I have been fortunate enough this season to see some unforgettable moments on the field and be able to share them with all of you. I was able to be at Opening Day and to see our President throw out the first pitch and I was able to see Greg Maddux throw his last pitch in a Cubs’ uniform at Wrigley Field. I have spoken to past Cub greats and current ones as well and little did I know when I interviewed John McDonough, for this site, last January he would be the Cubs Interim President before the end of the year.

Baseball has always been my passion and especially the Chicago Cubs. I do not know what it is about them but no matter how many times they break my heart, I keep coming back for more. I have told people that to understand a Cubs fan, you have to be one and I believe those words to be true. As much as I was ready for this season to be over, I am incredibly sad that it is. I will flip on the radio or TV tomorrow expecting to find Pat Hughes and Ron Santo or Len Kasper and Bob Brenly and then I will remember that the Cubs season is over. It truly is a sad day.

Much has been written about Dusty Baker and his fate with the Cubs will be announced at a press conference on Monday morning. While we all have opinions about Dusty, please allow me to remind you to “Stay Classy Cubs Fans”….thanks Brian, hope you did not mind I used that. Let the man leave town in peace, if that is what happens, and wish him the best and remember that regardless of what you or I or the guy next to you may think, he led the team the best way he knew how.

Monday is a HUGE day for this organization especially with the resignation of Andy MacPhail. The Cubs are going to be moving into uncharted territory, with new leaders and new players. It is time for us, the fans, to move on as well, to forget the past and to prepare for an exciting and unwritten future….one that we all hope ends one day in late October with the “W” flag flying proudly over the scoreboard at Wrigley.

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts and views about the Chicago Cubs on a daily basis and stay tuned for what is sure to be a very exciting off-season. The CCO will be at Spring Training next season and Opening Day in Cincinnati but until then….